Ivory Tower: LPU student’s innovation aims to transform cardiac care

With an aim to revolutionise cardiac care and bridge the gap in heart transplants, Himanshu Patil, a student of Lovely Professional University, has come up with a ground-breaking innovation.

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Patil, a student from the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, has developed a mechatronic heart. This is a ground-breaking solution to address the critical shortage of heart donors and the challenges faced by patients with advanced heart failure.

The innovation has been made under the guidance of Prof Harpreet Singh Bedi.

The mechatronic heart represents a pioneering endeavour to replicate the human heart’s functionality using mechatronics. By leveraging servo motors, an Arduino Nano and a 12-bit 16-channel servo controller, the project aims to provide a potential solution to heart diseases and the shortage of heart donors.

System overview

The mechatronic heart system is designed meticulously to emulate the intricate human heart’s functionality. It replicates the actions of contraction and relaxation, pumping blood through the aorta and simulating a human heartbeat at 72 bpm.

Design phase

The project encompasses the conceptualisation and design of the artificial heart that closely mimics the structure and function of a biological heart. The design process considers the use of biocompatible and durable materials to ensure optimal performance.

Servo motors

The primary components responsible for replicating the contraction and relaxation actions of the human heartbeat are the highly precise servo motors. Their exceptional control capabilities make them ideal for this critical application.

Arduino Nano

Serving as the control unit, the Arduino Nano is a compact and flexible microcontroller board programmed to regulate the actions of the servo motors’, dictating their contraction and relaxation sequences.

12-bit 16 channel servo controller

This component interfaces between the Arduino Nano and servo motors, enabling precise control over multiple servos simultaneously. The capability ensures accurate replication of the complex contraction and relaxation actions exhibited by the human heart.

Functionality

The system is designed to mimic the human heart’s rhythm, averaging around 72 beats per minute. This is achieved through precise control and timing provided by the Arduino Nano and the servo controller.

Applications

The mechatronic heart system holds potential in the field of healthcare, particularly as a teaching tool for medical students, a research tool for scientists studying the cardiovascular system, and potentially as a temporary or permanent replacement for a failing human heart.